activities could increase the risk of erosion and sediment delivery on skid 

 trails and cable yarding corridors. This risk would be reduced or 

 eliminated by placing erosion control measures in these areas. 



Alternative B: Harvest could also indirectly affect sediment delivery to the 

 Deer Creek watershed by building 4.5 miles of permanent road. DNRC 

 would utilize all reasonable mitigation and erosion control practices 

 during all reconditioning, reconstruction, and new construction for all 

 roads and stream and draw crossings during the proposed activities. Site- 

 specific design recommendations from DNRC resource specialists would 

 be fully implemented under the Alternative B: Harvest. 



Implementation of BMP's and erosion control measures for new road 

 construction are expected to control erosion and prevent sedimentation. 

 New road construction will be located and constructed incorporating 

 BMP's and site-specific measures to control erosion and prevent 

 sedimentation. There is low risk of adverse impacts to downstream water 

 quality and beneficial uses occurring as a result of Alternative B: Harvest. 



4.3.1.1.4 Cumulative Effects of Alternative B: Harvest 



The proposed salvage harvest is not expected to increase water yield, 

 surface runoff, or magnitude and duration of peak flows above existing 

 post-fire conditions. This is due to the fact that only dead trees will be 

 harvested. Increases in sediment yield are expected to be low to moderate 

 due to the area treated, location along the landscape, and mitigation 

 designed to minimize erosion. Mitigations include limiting ground 

 equipment skidding to winter operations, cable harvesting of steep slopes, 

 maintaining adequate streamside buffers, and helicopter harvesting. 



The proposed tractor and cable yarding with Alternative B: Harvest could 

 increase the risk of cumulative impacts to sediment delivery by disturbing 

 burned soil if disturbance is excessive. Road construction proposed could 

 also increase the risk of cumulative effects to sediment delivery. Proposed 

 roads are on steep sideslopes and are located on stable soils. These high 

 rock fragment soils are prone to raveling but the proportion of soil fines 

 that could erode is typically low. Implementation of BMP's and site 

 specific erosion control measures for existing roads, new road 

 construction, and harvest actions are expected to control erosion and 

 prevent sedimentation. The risk of cumulative effects of sediment delivery 

 would be reduced or eliminated by implementing erosion control measures 

 in these areas. 



There is low risk of adverse cumulative impacts to downstream water 

 quality and beneficial uses occurring as a result of the proposed 

 Alternative B: Harvest. 



Fish Creek Salvage Environmental Assessment 4-6 



